Management of pre-fetched mapping data incorporating user-specified locations

Abstract

Map tile data for displaying graphic elements of a web-based mapping system in a mobile computing device may be pre-fetched to the device based on selection of an option to store the data at the device. A request for mapping system data may be sent from a mobile computing device to a remote mapping system via a network connection. The request may include user-specified location data. The remote mapping system may retrieve the mapping data corresponding to the user-specified location data and send it to the mobile computing device via the network connection. The mobile computing device may receive the retrieved mapping data and display a selectable option to store or not store the mapping data in a cache memory of the mobile computing device. The retrieved mapping data may then be stored at the mobile computing device in response to selection of the option to store the mapping data.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method for pre-fetching map tile data to a mobile computing device based on location data, the method comprising:
 sending a request for mapping system data from a mapping module of a mobile computing device to a remote mapping system via a network connection, wherein the request includes user-specified location data; 
 receiving mapping system data at the mobile computing device via the network connection from the remote mapping system, wherein the received mapping system data includes a graphic component to graphically represent the user-specified location data; 
 displaying a selectable option to store the received mapping system data in a cache memory of the mobile computing device; and 
 subsequently retrieving the received mapping system data from the cache memory. 
 
     
     
       2. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing the received mapping system data in a cache memory at the mobile computing device in response to selection of the option to store the mapping system data. 
     
     
       3. The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising sending a further request for mapping system data from the mapping module of the mobile computing device to the cache memory of the mobile computing device, wherein the further request includes the user-specified location data. 
     
     
       4. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the user-specified location data includes one or more of a location history file including user-specified location data corresponding to geographic locations where the mobile device executed the mapping module, a search history file including user-specified location data, a routing history file including user-specified location data corresponding to routes between geographic locations represented by the mapping module, and a city name, an address, an airport code, or global positioning system coordinates. 
     
     
       5. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for pre-fetching mapping system data to a mapping module of a mobile computing device, the instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to:
 send a request for mapping system data from a mapping module of a mobile computing device to a remote mapping system via a network connection, wherein the request includes user-specified location data; 
 receive mapping system data at the mobile computing device via the network connection from the remote mapping system, wherein the received mapping system data includes a graphic component to graphically represent the user-specified location data; 
 display a selectable option to store the retrieved mapping system data in a cache memory of the mobile computing device; and 
 subsequently retrieve the received mapping system data from the cache memory. 
 
     
     
       6. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 5 , further comprising instructions to store the received mapping system data in a cache memory of the mobile computing device in response to selection of the option to store the mapping system data. 
     
     
       7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 5 , further comprising instructions to send a further request for mapping system data from the mapping module of the mobile computing device to the cache memory of the mobile computing device, wherein the further request includes the user-specified location data. 
     
     
       8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 5 , wherein the user-specified location data includes one or more of a location history file, a search history file, and a routing history file each including user-specified location data. 
     
     
       9. A computer system for pre-fetching mapping system data to a mapping module of a mobile computing device, the system comprising:
 one or more processors; 
 one or more memories storing a plurality of modules including instructions for execution on the one or more processors, the modules including:
 a mapping module including instructions executed on the one or more processors to communicate with a mapping system via a network connection, the mapping module including instructions to:
 send a request for mapping system data from the mapping module to a remote mapping system via a network connection, the request including user-specified location data, and 
 receive mapping system data at the mobile computing device via the network connection from the remote mapping system, wherein the received mapping system data includes a graphic component to graphically represent the user-specified location data; and 
 
 a selection module including instructions executed on the one or more processors to communicate with the mapping module and display a selectable option to store the retrieved mapping system data in a cache memory of the mobile computing device; 
 
 wherein the mapping module includes further instructions executed on the one or more processors to subsequently retrieve the received mapping system data from the cache memory. 
 
     
     
       10. The computer system of  claim 9 , wherein the selection module includes further instructions executed on the one or more processors to store the received mapping system data in a cache memory of the mobile computing device in response to receiving an instruction indicating selection of the option to store the mapping system data. 
     
     
       11. The computer system of  claim 9 , wherein the user-specified location data includes one or more of a location history file, a search history file, a routing history file, and the user-specified location data includes user-specified location data corresponding to geographic locations where the mobile computing device executed the mapping module. 
     
     
       12. A computer-implemented method for pre-fetching map tile data from a remote mapping system to a mobile computing device based on user-specified location data, the method comprising:
 receiving a request for mapping system data from a mapping module of a mobile computing device at a remote mapping system via a network connection, wherein the request includes user-specified location data; 
 retrieving mapping system data at the remote mapping system, wherein the mapping system data corresponds to the user-specified location data; and 
 sending the mapping system data from the remote mapping system to the mobile computing device via the network connection; 
 wherein the sent mapping system data includes a graphic component to graphically represent the user-specified location data, the mobile computing device is configured to display a selectable option to store the mapping system data in a cache memory of the mobile computing device, and the mobile computing device is further configured to subsequently retrieve the mapping system data from the cache memory. 
 
     
     
       13. The computer-implemented method of  claim 12 , further comprising logging a plurality of requests for mapping system data from the mapping module of the mobile computing device. 
     
     
       14. The computer-implemented method of  claim 13 , further comprising receiving a further request for mapping system data from the mapping module of the mobile computing device at the remote mapping system via the network connection, wherein the further request includes user-specified location data from the plurality of requests for mapping system data. 
     
     
       15. The computer-implemented method of  claim 14 , further comprising sending further mapping system data from the remote mapping system to the mobile computing device via the network connection in response to the further request, wherein the further mapping system data includes map tile data corresponding to the user-specified location data from the plurality of requests for mapping system data. 
     
     
       16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for pre-fetching map tile data from a remote mapping system to a mobile computing device based on user-specified location data, the instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to:
 receive a request for mapping system data from a mapping module of a mobile computing device at a remote mapping system via a network connection, wherein the request includes user-specified location data; 
 retrieve mapping system data at the remote mapping system, wherein the mapping system data corresponds to the user-specified location data; and 
 send the mapping system data from the remote mapping system to the mobile computing device via the network connection; 
 wherein the sent mapping system data includes a graphic component to graphically represent the user-specified location data, the mobile computing device is configured to display a selectable option to store the mapping system data in a cache memory of the mobile computing device, and the mobile computing device is further configured to subsequently retrieve the mapping system data from the cache memory. 
 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , further comprising an instruction to store a plurality of requests for mapping system data from the mapping module of the mobile computing device. 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , further comprising an instruction to receive a further request for mapping system data from the mapping module of the mobile computing device at the remote mapping system via the network connection, wherein the further request includes user-specified location data from the plurality of requests for mapping system data. 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , further comprising an instruction to send further mapping system data from the remote mapping system to the mobile computing device via the network connection in response to the further request, wherein the further mapping system data includes map tile data corresponding to the user-specified location data from the plurality of requests for mapping system data. 
     
     
       20. A computer system for pre-fetching map tile data from a remote mapping system to a mobile computing device based on user-specified location data, the system comprising:
 one or more processors; 
 one or more memories storing a plurality of instructions for execution on the one or more processors, the instructions to:
 receive a request for mapping system data from a mapping module of a mobile computing device at a remote mapping system via a network connection, wherein the request includes user-specified location data; 
 retrieve mapping system data at the remote mapping system, wherein the mapping system data corresponds to the user-specified location data; and 
 send the mapping system data from the remote mapping system to the mobile computing device via the network connection; 
 
 wherein the sent mapping system data includes a graphic component to graphically represent the user-specified location data, the mobile computing device is configured to display a selectable option to store the mapping system data in a cache memory of the mobile computing device, and the mobile computing device is further configured to subsequently retrieve the mapping system data from the cache memory. 
 
     
     
       21. The computer system of  claim 20 , further comprising an instruction for execution on the one or more processors to store a plurality of requests for mapping system data from the mapping module of the mobile computing device. 
     
     
       22. The computer system of  claim 21 , further comprising an instruction for execution on the one or more processors to receive a further request for mapping system data from the mapping module of the mobile computing device at the remote mapping system via the network connection, wherein the further request includes user-specified location data from the plurality of requests for mapping system data. 
     
     
       23. The computer system of  claim 22 , further comprising an instruction for execution on the one or more processors to send further mapping system data from the remote mapping system to the mobile computing device via the network connection in response to the further request, wherein the further mapping system data includes map tile data corresponding to the user-specified location data from the plurality of requests for mapping system data.